Gaming & Hospitality Organizations Must Prioritize Implementing a Digital Leadership Role to Stay Ahead of the Curve, Says New Resource From Info-Tech Research Group

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May 05, 2023, 13:47 ET

As Gaming & Hospitality organizations continue to shift to platform businesses, there is a lack of knowledge of where to integrate digital or how to structure related organizational reporting.

TORONTO, May 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Digital is the new normal for a variety of industries, and the Gaming & Hospitality industry is no exception. COVID-19 was the volatile breaking point that forced change in the industry on an IT, business, and customer level, but many organizations continue to face challenges in the new digital-first approach to business. Often, digital is not embedded or formally structured within the IT ecosystem, and executive leadership does not have the digital culture or understanding required to enable a digitally enabled IT department. To assist IT and organizational leaders in modernizing the role of IT to create and unlock enterprise value through digital, Info-Tech Research Group has published a new industry resource, The Use of Chief Digital Officer in Gaming & Hospitality.

If not aligned to the strategic direction, an organization’s structure will act as a bungee cord and pull the organization back toward its old strategic direction. Structure supports strategy, but strategy also follows structure. Digital technology and information transparency are driving organizations to reorganize around customer responsiveness. To remain relevant and competitive, reporting structures must be forward looking and ready to adapt to rapid pivots in technology or customer demand. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group)

The timely report from the global IT research and advisory firm is designed to educate Gaming & Hospitality organizations and their leadership on the role of a chief digital officer (CDO) and the importance of embedding the role within IT.

Organizations will be faced with many questions when seeking to expand leadership to include a digital role. The research from Info-Tech Research Group supports making the case for CDO implementation to business executives and stakeholders. The new resource from the firm helps answer the questions "Why do we need a digital leader?," "Where do they sit in the organization's structure?," and "Is the hiring of a digital leader common among Gaming & Hospitality organizations?"

"Guests' lifestyles, habits, and preferences have changed immensely since the COVID-19 pandemic began," says Monica Pagtalunan, research analyst, Industry Practice, at Info-Tech Research Group. "Digital is not a trend – it's the way. For organizations to be most successful in their digital transformation journeys, a digital leader is crucial."

Gaming & Hospitality organizations may struggle to accurately define "digital" and its scope, resulting in a lack of understanding of the responsibilities and scope of a digital leader.

To combat this obstacle, the firm has outlined two three-step journeys in its report that will aid leaders in embedding digital in IT and enabling their organizations' ability to thrive in a digital economy, depending on the level of IT within the organization:

Journey #1 – If the IT department is viewed as a "business partner" or "innovator":

Use of CDO in Gaming – Make the case to roll digital into IT.
Redesign the organizational structure – Taking on digital capabilities is a critical redesign driver.
Define the digital business strategy – Cross-collaboratively build the organization's people, processes, and technology initiatives.

Journey #2 – If the IT department is viewed as a "trusted operator" or below:

Define the digital business strategy – Cross-collaboratively build the organization's people, processes, and technology initiatives.
Redesign the organizational structure – Taking on digital capabilities is a critical redesign driver.
Use of CDO in Gaming – Make the case to roll digital into IT.

For reference on the level of IT within an organization, please see the included image.

In addition to the IT-specific journeys, the research also provides three ways to embed the CDO role into Gaming & Hospitality organizations and covers the areas of role distinction and reporting structure, responsibility distinction, key benefits, and key risks. The three methods and their key benefits are as follows:

IT ownership – Pivots IT's internal market operating model from a cost center to a revenue center and prioritizes singular results to create efficiency in the organization's operations.
Business ownership – Prioritizes customer needs and focuses responsibility on customer-facing solutions.
Digital ownership – Responds to business and technology needs with the ability to be agile and efficiently prioritize high-level innovations.

Info-Tech also notes for industry and IT leaders that Gaming & Hospitality is vulnerable to significant changes that are reshaping value, such as eCommerce, online sports betting, and iGaming. Because of this, organizations must improve operational efficiency and resiliency for years to come. Embracing the digital era and embedding digital leadership within IT will benefit an organization and, by extension, the entire industry.

To access the full report, including a deep dive into the three methods of embedding the CDO role; an in-depth look at the differences between a chief information officer (CIO), chief technology officer (CTO), and CDO; and sample Gaming & Hospitality organizational charts including a CDO, download The Use of Chief Digital Officer in Gaming & Hospitality.

Additional resources on the topic:

Discover High-Value Fan Experiences
eCommerce Platform Selection Guide
Modernize the Venue to Revitalize Live Events

For more information about Info-Tech Research Group or to view the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and Twitter.

About Info-Tech Research Group

Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading information technology research and advisory firms, proudly serving over 30,000 IT professionals. The company produces unbiased and highly relevant research to help CIOs and IT leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For more than 25 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with IT teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and over 200 IT and industry analysts through the Media Insiders program. To gain access contact [email protected].

SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group